GREENEVILLE, Tenn. — Kingsport evened the weekend series against Greeneville after a blowout 19-6 victory over the Fly Boys on Saturday night. More importantly, the win snaps the Axmen’s six-game losing streak and moves them back into sole possession of first place.
After a Gabe Gray two-run homer tied the contest at two, neither team was getting much separation. For the fourth straight meeting it looked like both teams were headed to a photo finish.
The tie lasted until the fifth inning. An avalanche of walks and hit batters kept loading and unloading the bases to puy Kingsport ahead, 6-2.
In fact, the Axmen scored all six runs throughout the contest on zero hits. Things got a little sweeter for Kingsport when the Axmen recorded their first hit, a base clearing double with the bases loaded off the bat of Seth Farni.
Farni’s three RBIs made the score 9-2, and later Farni came around to score on a wild pitch, increasing the lead to eight.
The nightmare finally ended for Greeneville after surrendering eight runs on one hit, six walks and three hit batsmen.
However, the kicker was that Greeneville fell into the same trap in the following inning. This time walks played a factor, but the Axmen bats finally got going.
With the bases juiced, Trey Jozwiakowski doubled to score two runs, which at the time was only the second hit for the Axmen.
With a 12-2 lead Kingsport kept pouring it on as Cash Williams started a string of RBI singles going through Jacob Parr and Garrett Luett as well.
Tanner Kilgore then walked in another run setting up a two-run single from Easton Beach, making the contest an 18-2 affair.
An Olin Ward shot in the sixth inning followed by three runs in the seventh gave Greeneville some life, but the Flyboys had no more offense in the tank as Tyler Ansell shut them down.
Kingsport added one more insurance run off a solo long ball from Jozwiakowski in the ninth. With the extra run Greeneville had no answer dropping Game 2 of the series.
Game Notes:
- Greeneville issued a total of 17 walks on the night, as well as five hit batsmen.
- Parr finished 3-for-5 on the night with three RBIs with Jozwiakowski and Williams the only other Axmen with multiple hits, each with two.
- Jozwiakowski led the team in RBIs with four. Beach and Farni also finished the night with three RBIs.
- It was a great effort from the Axmen as a whole as Dalyn Ellison tossed six innings as the Axmen starter and only allowed three runs. Ansell had a fantastic night too, tossing 2 1/3 scoreless innings to finish the contest.
Up next, Kingsport looks to claim the series Sunday as a loss ends Greeneville’s playoff hopes. Then the Axmen will try to find the best footing they can heading into a weekday series against Elizabethton who is only a half game out of second.
